UCSF

The authors conducted a study of alcohol use biomarkers and cognitive performance among 85 veterans with problematic alcohol use and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). All analyses were adjusted for demographics, depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase were associated with worse performance on the Trail Making Test Part A and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test. Two other biomarkers were not associated with any neurocognitive measures. Indirect alcohol use biomarkers (e.g., aspartate aminotransferase) may have a specific role in identifying veterans with problematic alcohol use and PTSD who show a change in psychomotor speed and immediate verbal memory performance.